Place Name
Actaeon was a famous hero in ancient mythology. The myth of Diana and Actaeon, found in Ovid’s Metamorphoses tells of his unfortunate fate. The chaste Diana (Artemis in Greek mythology) is nude and enjoying a bath in a spring with help from her escort of nymphs when the mortal Actaeon unwittingly stumbles upon the scene. The nymphs scream in surprise and attempt to cover Diana, who, in a fit of embarrassed fury, splashes water upon Actaeon. He is transformed into a deer with a dappled hide and long antlers, robbed of his ability to speak, and promptly flees in fear. It is not long, however, before his own hounds track him down and kill him, failing to recognise their master. One of a number of roads named after characters from Greek and Roman mythology. This street off Herbert Road doesn’t feature on Google maps. There isn’t an obvious reason why it was so named.
